FOLSOM, Calif. — The Folsom’s Historic District Ice Rink is delayed in its opening because of thefts and vandalism, according to officials.
Organizers have scrambled to get the place up and running, while also dealing with tens of thousands of dollars in repairs.
"Somebody came in here, cut the chain on that gate back there, stole an entire IBC of this lay flat tubing with all the connectors-- worth well over $30,000," explained Studio 33 Stage Productions Manager Gabe Bryan while showing his back parking lot that was broken into in early November.
Bryan managed Studio 33 Stage Productions, a family-owned business that had been installing and operating the Folsom Historic District Ice Rink for the last 10 years.
Along with an entire case of flat tubes and connectors used to operate the ice rink, the thieves also tried to steal his box truck. Luckily, he said, they were unsuccessful.
"It's just been absolutely insane," Bryan said.
Bryan said since the theft, late-night trespassers had been hopping the rink walls, damaging the 11 miles long PEX tubing filled with glycol that kept the rink frozen. He suspected reckless, weekend bar-goers were mostly to blame.
In the rink surveillance video, several people are seen jumping the rink wall and jumping on the tubing.
Bryan said some tubing had been cut intentionally.
"We had people that literally came out here and cut the tubes with knives in the middle of the night," he explained.
The cut and fractured tubing had caused glycol to leak out, and with supply chain issues, Bryan said it was not cheap stuff to replace.
"One of these containers, it’s about 255 gallons, last year cost about $2,250," Bryan explained. "This year, one of these containers $10,000 to $12,000."
Fencing had been installed in hopes of keeping people off the rink. Bryan said they had been lucky to get supply donations from other vendors to continue their season. He hoped to have the rink repaired and open by the coming weekend, but he said it would take a lot of work.
"For us, we’re tired and hot and we want to quit," he explained. "But then you get the community coming by and saying, 'We really appreciate you guys,' and kids getting all excited and that's-- aw shoot, we gotta keep working."
Folsom police said they had no leads or identified suspects, but if anyone had information, they were asked to call Folsom Police Department.
